Sunday, September 28, 2014

Just this month I pinned the quilt sandwich for the red/black/pink baby quilt that has been one of my PIGS (Projects in Grocery Sacks--thanks to stashbuster.com for the acronym!) for a couple years.

I started stitching in the ditch around each block, as a precursor for FMQ (free-motion quilting). And some of the stitching was most excellent.

But sometimes I couldn't keep the needle in the ditch.

Whoops!

What? You mean to tell me that even perfectly straight stitching using a walking foot can go awry? I'm sunk! There's just no way that my FMQ skills are up to the challenge of this project. Now what?

Found the perfect book! Foolproof Machine Quilting by Mary Mashuta. I can keep using my walking foot, and just quilt in straight lines and gentle curves. I never thought about all the designs that can be made with simple curves and pivots. Really great ideas in this book.

I really like this pattern for the borders. It's just made out of mirroring a scallop pattern, and echo-stitching inside the curves, using the edge of the walking foot as a width guide.

Here is my sketching of this idea on a photocopy of the quilt. Do I like it with more curves? Or less? I'm still deciding... but at least I have A Plan.